Headlight-dimmer.



W. F. CONLAN.

HEADLIGHT DIMMER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29. 1915.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

WILLIAM F. CONLAN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO. I

HEADLIGHT-DIMMER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2o, tort.

Application filed June 29, 1915. Serial No. 37,101.

mers for automobile headlights, and more particularly relates to that type of such devices as comprehend an auxiliary lens adapted to be fitted over the lamp casing in order to modify the glare of the light.

As a principal object, it is contemplated to provide a dimmer of the character set forth which shall include a positioning ring in which the dimming lens is removably .mounted and to provide spring means-for removably securing such ring with its contained lens upon the headlight casing.

More specifically, it is an object to construct a positioning ring adapted to fit over the forward edge of the lamp casing and is provided with straps projecting over the usual bead or rim of the casing, such straps being capable of connection by a spring wire in order to mount the ring in the position required.

The above and additional objects which will be hereinafter more specifically treated are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification, and then more particularly pointedout in the claims which are appended hereto and form a art of this application.

ith reference to the drawings, wherein there is illustrated the preferred embodiment of this invention as it is reduced to practice, and throughout the several views of which like characters of reference designate similar parts Figure l is a side elevation of a headlight equipped with the dimmer of this invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same subjectmatter,

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken,

through the dimmer as removed from the headlight, and

Fig. 5 isa perspective detail of one of the securing straps.

In order to modify the glare from a vehicle headlight, such as is usually prohibited in city streets, use is made of a frosted plate glass lens designated 5. This lens may preferably be of the plano-convex variety .havlng one of its surfaces translucentlv ground, as this construction has been found by experiment to diffuse the rays of light by refract'ing them from their usual blinding focus. I

The question of mounting this lens in connection with a headlight so as to permit of its ready use when it is required to dim the headlight glare and at the same tinie permitting its ready removal when desired, there is employed a positioning ring 6 adapted to annularly embrace the lens and provided with a lip 7 preventing removal thereof in a forward direction. An annular plate spring 8 is adapted to nearly encircle the ring 6 and is provided with a pair of lugs or projections 9 which extend through suitably spaced apertures 10 formed in the ring for the purpose of contacting with the rear of the lens and normally preventing removal of the lens in such direction. This plate spring 8 is maintained in its position upon the ring 6 by a pin, or the like, 11, preferably of the cotter pin variety in order that the extremities 12 projecting into the ring 6 may contact with the lens in the same manner as the removable lugs 9.

For positioning the ring and its mounted lens upon the headlight 13 a pair of straps 14 and 15 are secured to the ring as indicated at 16 to project rearwardly over the head or rim 17 usually provided upon the headlight. The uppermost strap 14 is provided with a turned edge 18 in order to grip the intermediate portion of the annular spring wire 19, the extremities of which wire are turned as shown at 20 in Fig. 5 in order to be received within suitably apcrtured ears 21 struck up from the remaining strap 15.

The dim'mer, it will be seen, may be readily positioned upon a headlight provided with the necessary beading or rim as the operator has but to engage the turned eX- tremities 20 of the spring wire within the cars 21 of the strap 15, after the ring 6 has been positioned over the lens of the headlight. The lens 5 is at all times readily accessible if it is desired to remove it from its mounting ring 6, as a separation of the extremities of the spring 8 will result in a withdrawal of the lugs 9 through the apertures 10 and out of. contact with the lens which may then be readily removed. Various sizes of rings, lenses and clamping means may be readily made to fit standard sizes of vehicle headlights.

lVhile in the foregoing, however, there has thus been illustrated in the drawings, and described in the specification such combination and arrangement of elements as consti-' tute the preferred embodiment of this in yention, it is desired to emphasize the fact that such minor changes in the matters of proportion and degree may be made in later adaptations of this device as shall not alter the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. I

What is claimed is I 1. The combination with a headlight, of a ring, a supplemental lens removably supported in said ring, resilient straps carried by said ring to positively engage the headlight, and a resilient band carried by one of said straps and engageable with the other to position said ring upon the headlight.

2. The combination with a headlight, of a ring adapted to abut concentrically against the front of the same, a dimming lens carried by said ring, resilient straps on said ring extending over-the edge ofsaid headlight, and a curved springwire connected to one of said straps and engageable by its ends with another strap to clamp the ring and lens upon the headlight.

3. The combination with a headlight provided with an annular heading, of a ring adapted to abut concentrically against said beading, a dimming lens carried by said ring, resilient straps on said ring extending over said beading, one of said straps having inwardly turned perforated lugs, and a curved spring wire connected to one of said straps and adapted to engage by its outwardly curved ends with the perforated lu-gs of the other strap for holding said ring and lens upon the headlight.

4. A headlight dimmer comprising a ring provided with a lip, a lens receivable within said ring and engaging the lip upon one face, an annular spring having inwardly projecting lugs extending through slots in the ring to engage the other face of said lens,

a pin extending through said spring and ring and'against the lens for holding both spring and lens in operative position, positioning straps carried by said ring on opposite sides, and an open spring band connected to one strap and resiliently engageable with the other strap for holding the dimmer upon a headlight.

5. A headlight dimmer comprising a ring formed with an annular lip, a lens having a translucent surface removably mounted within said ring and engaging the lip, an annular spring mounted on said ring and nearly encircling the same havin-g'lens-holdmg lugs projecting from its inner side, a pin extending through said spring and ring and against the lens to holdthe latter in con tact with said lip and the spring on the ring, straps carried by said ring, and a resilient band connected to one strap and separably engaging the other strap to hold said dimmer upon a headli ht.

6. A headlight immer comprising a ring, a lens having a translucent surface removably mounted within said ring, an annular spring mounted on said ring and nearly en-.

circling the same, said spring having lugs projecting through the ring to hold the lens therein, a pin extending through said spring and ring for holding the spring upon the ring, and resilient means for removably mounting the ring upon a headlight;

7 A headlight dimmer comprising a ring, a lens removably mounted within said ring, straps carried by said ring on opposite sides, one of said straps having a pair of inwardly turned perforated lugs, and an open spring band connected to one of said straps and adapted to be removably engaged by its outwardly turned ends with perforated lugs on the other strap for holding said dimmer,

upon the headlight.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

vWILLIAM F. CONLAN.

Witnessesi JOHN E. KiLLoRAN, M. D. DONOVAN. 

